CANADIAN HYPOCRISY

Rex Murphy on the hypocrisy of the global warming conference in Montreal that was attended by ten thousand people for a conference on reducing energy consumption: "I don't suppose many delegates walked."

The bigger disconnect at this monster seminar goes further than rhetoric, however. It's that Canada's the host of this sequel to Kyoto, and that Canada's performance since Kyoto --- and remember, we signed on --- is at this date, 24 per cent higher than our 1990 levels. According to our commitment, we're aiming for six per cent lower. So as of 2005, there's a 30 per cent spread from what we've promised and what we've done so far.

The U.S., which didn't sign on, is only thirteen per cent higher than its 1990 levels. Still, around the world, the U.S. is the villain for not signing on, while countries like ours, who talk a virtuous environmental line and host King-Kong-scale conferences to celebrate our commitment, pose as the planet's dearest lovers. Perhaps Kyoto is Japanese for hypocrisy

Indeed.

Link to Rex Murphy columns written for the CBC.